Fortunately, it was a lucrative business. [8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_Reeves). Reeves had a beat in downtown Muskogee, during . In total, he found at least twelve cards posted promising his demise. And The Three Guardsmen was a name given to a group who became legendary in their pursuit of many outlaws of the late 19th century: Deputy U.S. The man overseeing the case was Judge Isaac Parker, who was technically Reeves boss. The going rate was more than $1,000 for bounties. These are just a few of the incredible stories of a man who hunted down men nobody else could capture. Father of Benjamin Bass Reeves; Homer Reeves; Robert Reeves; Newland Reeves; Edgar Reeves and 8 others; Sally Reeves; Harriet Reeves; Georgia Reeves; Alice Reeves; Lula Reeves; Bass Reeves, Jr.; George Reeves and Private less The actual number might shock you, however. The marshal tracked him down and made him an offerand so began a whirlwind tale of adventure, courage, and cold-blooded lawmaking. [5] He was an uncle of Paul L. Brady, the first African-American appointed a Federal Administrative Law Judge (in 1972). In Black Gun, Silver Star, Burton recounts some stories from Adam Grayson, a former resident of Indian Territory, saying that Reeves tore up at least one warrant for a prisoner who outraced his sorrell steed. They would travel with a crew, at least one posseman or more, a cook, a guard and one or two wagons with supplies. Since birth, he had witnessed the deepest and darkest parts of humanity. 1883: The Bass Reeves Story will be so different as it will focus on the historical figure Bass Reeves, an enslaved man turned U.S. . Over a thirty-year career, he faced some of the most feared men in America. During a game of cards with his owner, Reeves won, which caused his owner to beat him. He still always got his manand when they asked him to produce his warrants, he always pulled out the right one. Harmons 1898 book Hell on the Border. However, as early as 1901 writer D.C. Gideon detailed Reeves in his book Indian Territory., Among the numerous deputy marshals that have ridden for the Paris (Texas), Fort Smith (Arkansas) and Indian Territory courts none have met with more hairbreadth escapes or have affected more hazardous arrests than Bass Reeves, of Muskogee, Gideon writes. [a] During his long career, he had on his record more than 3,000 arrests of dangerous fugitives, and shot and killed 14 of them in self-defense. As early as 1867 there was a posse out of Van Buren, Arkansas, sent to investigate a stagecoach robbery at Atoka, Choctaw Nation, that was led by a deputy U.S. marshal named Negro Smith. Moreso, they knew that he would get the job done cleanly and fairly. He was hired as a city policeman in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he served for about two years. Reeves and Webb had a gunfight in June 1884 near Bywaters Store, which was a stagecoach stop. That year he transferred to the Eastern District of Texas in Paris, Texas, for a short while. In a happy subplot to an often harrowing tale, the two stayed together for the rest of their lives. Reeves became known in the early 1880s for bringing prisoners back to the Fort Smith court in double digits. Scandalous Facts About Hollywood Celebrities, Lawyers Reveal Their Most Jaw-Dropping Court Cases, Extravagant Facts About Josephine Baker, The Black Pearl of Paris, Couldnt Pay Me To Go Back: Absolutely Wild Stories Of High School Drama, Catherine The Great Was a Mighty EmpressUntil Her Brutal Downfall, These Mortifying Mistakes Make Us Want To Hit Undo. In 1865 the Civil War ended and slaves were freed by the[5]Thirteenth Amendment. He was barred from competitive turkey shoots, although he always claimed to be only fair with a rifle. Despite never drawing first, Reeves ended up in a lot of shootouts. Bass Reeves was indeed the Invincible Marshal. According to an Oklahoma news article in 1907, outlaws in the West had a habit of posting cards on their turf with warnings to certain deputies. Love the history behind my home town! Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. [10], Reeves' health began to fail further after retiring. As noted in Art Burtons 2006 book, Black Gun, Silver Star, Reeves has been known to historians for quite some time and was even mentioned in Larry McMurtrys 1997 novel Zeke and Ned. But Reeves is left out of the picture in S.W. http://politicalblindspot.com/the-real-lone-ranger-was-an-african-a https://www.policeone.com/police-heroes/articles/6408028-Police-His Geni requires JavaScript! He grew up tending to chores and animals while his 'mammy' cooked and cleaned. Well, the show was last announced as 1883: The Bass Reeves Story back in May 2022. Adams, Jake Island, Andy Alton and one Smith, larceny.. Bass Reeves, the gunslinging lawman, left a serious legacy behind. After five years and several hundred thousand dollars in fundraising, Spears and his committee saw the unveiling of the large bronze Bass Reeves Legacy Monument by H. Holden at Ross Pendergraft Park in downtown Fort Smith in May 2012. Almost a year out from a planned opening of the new $60 million museum, its the lawmans family tree the curator wants most. The public won't want to miss the unveiling of these pieces on Saturday," said Jessica Hougen, curator of collections and exhibits for the U.S. He is believed to be buried in a small cemetery on Fern Mountain Road west of town. In the late 1870s, although Reeves was a deputy U.S. marshal, much of his work was as a posseman for other deputy U.S. marshals, including Robert J. One of the most infamous men in Indian Territory went by the name Greenleaf. Interest was, With a budget of $250 million, this summers Disney movie, The Lone Ranger, will be. One of Bass Reeves' warrants was for a notorious outlaw named Bob Dozier, who was wanted for a wide range of crimes from cattle and horse rustling, to holding up banks, stores, and stagecoaches to murder, and land swindles. George also happened to be the towns sheriff. Working mainly the Arkansas and the Oklahoma Territory, Reeves would bring more than 3,000 dangerous criminals, outlaws, and murderers to justice - including his own son. Reeves was born in Crawford County, in Northwest Arkansas, around 1838. He knew that every chase was potentially his last. Its entirely possible that the show's Yellowstone interconnectedness drops off by the time it arrivesand we find ourselves with a Bass Reeves series that's entirely separate from Yellowstone. He got close to the two sons, told tall tales of thievery, and waited. When Dozier heard that Reeves was after him, he sent out word that Reeves was placing his own life in his hands. In May 1902, Reeves and Adams went to the town of Braggs, Cherokee Nation, to quell racial strife. [9], Reeves worked for 32 years as a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory and became one of Judge Parker's most valued deputies. Reeves was eventually believed and acquitted, possibly based on his exceptional record. He served in the Indian Territory for 32 years. In the late 1870s and early 1880s, most guards, turnkeys, cooks and bailiffs for the Fort Smith federal court were African Americans. The same news-paper reported Reeves in August 1883 bringing in 13 prisoners. Before Reeves could respond, the gunman shot his belt in half. Bass Reeves will be executive produced by Sheridan, David Oyelowo, Jessica Oyelowo, David Permut, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle and Bob Yari.MTV Entertainment Studios, Sheridan's Bosque Ranch . He died in 1910. However, Bass Reeves certainly liked to tell a tall tale, and his descendants have since said that these claims were false. Bass Reeves served as a valet for his masters son during THE CIVIL WAR. Despite his instantly-recognizable look, rumor has it that the lawman had a few other tricks up his sleeve. [9] He served there until 1893. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Western Books: An Officer of Honor and Grit, Ask the Marshall Bat Masterson: Armed and Dangerous, Lincoln: Prepare Ye the Way for the Horde. Many lawmen had tried to apprehend the outlaw, but none were successful until it came to Reeves. Who knows! Bass Reeves worked with lawman such as [10] Heck Thomas, Bud Ledbetter, and Bill Tilghman. More U.S. marshals died in service while hunting down fugitives in the Western District of Arkansas than any other place. A hard-headed judge named Isaac Parker ordered a US Marshal to find 200 deputies in Indian Territory. He appointed [8] James Fagan as U.S. Reeves died in Muskogee on January 12, 1910, after a short illness. Eventually, he moved to Arkansas where he settled down, got married, had 10 children and his knowledge of THE INDIAN territories and the fact that he spoke several native languages landed him a job as the first African-American U.S. Reeves was interviewed in 1902, and at that time he stated that he had arrested over 3,000 men and women who broke federal law in the Indian Territory. Just saw the movie. Bass Reeves began his life as a slave in the state of Arkansas in July 1838, near the town of Van Buren. He was given the name of his owner, William Reeves. After his capture by Reeves, residents came from as far as 20 miles to see that Greenleaf was in handcuffs before they took him to Fort Smith. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. Reeves and his companion avoided the first flurry of bullets, and the sound of the laughter pinpointed Doziers location. Fagan had heard about Reeves, who knew the Indian Territory and could speak several Indian languages. Marshal Reeves was disturbed and shaken by the incident but demanded to accept the responsibility of bringing his son to justice. Reeves couldnt stay on as a ranger forever. Bass Reeves was born a slave, but died a respected lawman, having served in the Indian Territory (and later Oklahoma), Arkansas and Texas, the National Park Service states. This didnt hold him back in the slightest. Muskogee was unique with two Black business districts that were thoroughly integrated and catered to the diverse population in the frontier town. Over the course of his career, which began when he was in his fifties, mind you, Reeves brought in a tremendous 3,000 felons. Marshal Bass Reeves. Early in the war, the 11th Texas Cavalry Regiment fought at the Battle of Chustenahlah in the Indian Territory and the Battle of Pea Ridge, also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern. Instead, he always tried to take everyone in alive. Bass went with George into the war, serving as his body servant. His owners, the William S. Reeves family, moved to Grayson County, Texas, in 1846. Other reasons, Kennedy adds, included Reeves age. Most people know that. [13], In 1992, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.[43]. His estate came to less than $500. [2] Once he had to arrest his own son for murder. . An article suggests that Bass Reeves may have been the inspiration for the "Lone Ranger" --. I dont think of any of these as spinoffs, but rather as complete stories that have common roots, Sheridan told Deadline about 1883. Marshals Service also started doing these events in 2012 in conjunction with the Cherokee Nation. They would have 11 children together. Bass Reeves (2010 Video), Ponderous Productions, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Comedic Facts About Red Skelton, The Kookiest Clown Around, Glamorous Facts About The Countess Of Castiglione, The First Model, Sensational Facts About Louella Parsons, The Queen Of Hollywood Gossip, Extravagant Facts About Mohammad Reza, The Doomed Shah. The known black deputy U.S. marshals, however, are listed as Rufus Cannon, Bill Colbert, Bynum Colbert, Cyrus Dennis, Wiley Escoe, Neely Factor, Robert Fortune, John Garrett, Edward D. Jefferson, Grant Johnson, John Joss, Robert Love, Zeke Miller, Crowder Nicks (Nix), Charles Pettit, Bass Reeves, Ed Robinson, Dick Roebuck, Isaac Rogers, Jim Ruth, Dick Shaver, Morgan Tucker, Lee Thompson, Eugene Walker and Henry Whitehead. There was a movie made in his honor. Marshals Museum: The museum loves to talk to the descendants of historic Marshals and Deputies and we receive. Its no wonder he had such a tough reputation among outlaws and lawmen alike. Yellowstone, set in the present day, follows the Dutton family as they try to protect the largest ranch in the United States from hedge funds and governmental bodies looking to take their generational land away from them. For the next 11 years, Bennie Reeves sat in Fort Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. Reeves shot Webb with his Winchester at 500 yards after Webb narrowly missed him several times. The memorial was held close to the 110th anniversary of Reeves' death in 1910. Marshal James Fagan was replaced not long after Judge Parker took over the court with a Union veteran, Daniel P. Upham. After 1905, Reeves did not arrest as many white felons as he had earlier in his career, due to the large influx of white settlers into the territory and racial attitudes shifting. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA. After tracking the notorious outlaw, Reeves captured him without much of a struggle. His expertise in local languages and culture made him perfectly suited to the job. [9]Bass Reeves was the first African American Deputy to be appointed west of the Mississippi River. Good job on the profile!! [2][3][4] Bass stayed with these Native American tribes and learned their languages until he was freed by the Thirteenth Amendment's abolishment of slavery in 1865. At this time Bass was married to his wife, Jennie, who was also from Texas, and they had four children. When those old gunfighters are sittin around up there in Valhalla discussing who was the, The real law-and-order heros long and Winding road to cinematic and television fame. . In 1864 he married Nellie Jennie (d. 1896) and after her death Winnie Sumter (19001910). At the outbreak of the Civil War, George was made an officer in the 11th Texas Cavalry Regiment, second in command to Col. William G. Young. President Ulysses S. Grant appointed a U.S. congressman from Missouri named Isaac C. Parker to take over the Fort Smith federal court in March 1875. Bass married Nellie Reeves in 1864, at age 26 in Arkansas, United States. He went back to work as one of the deputies of the Western District of Arkansas at Fort Smith under Judge Isaac C. Parker. In the show, that little boy is quickly ushered out of the movie theater by his terrified parents as the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre unfolds. Then, Reeves met a woman named Winnie Sumter and fell in love all over again. [2], In addition to being a marksman with a rifle and revolver, Reeves developed superior detective skills during his long career. The Fort Smith Elevator reported Reeves coming to town in August 1882 with 16 prisoners. Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark historyor the chilling secret shared by her and Louis. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. But what made him one of the best in the West was his smarts. After refusing to surrender, Reeves killed Dozier in a gunfight on December 20, 1878.In 1882 Bass Reeves arrested outlaw [12] Belle Starr for horse theft, but some say that Belle Starr turned herself in when she heard that Bass Reeves was looking for her. There is a monument dedicated to him. Reeves and his posse burned Christies home to the ground. In this capacity, his familiarity with the land served him well. As Sheridan recently told Deadline, they wanted to hold a meeting to discuss how certain characters may have survived their deaths, so Sheridan worked up another peek into the window instead. In December 1878, Reeves served as a guard at Fort Smith for the executions of a Black man named James Diggs and an Indian named James Postoak, both for murder. Bass dragged his son into the courtroom himself, and the judge convicted him. 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